Perishable food items are generally provided in refrigerated containers during overseas transportation or over-the-highway transportation. Commercially available refrigerated containers for this purpose are available from Ciana Corporation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,827 to Madsen describes a double-walled refrigerated container.
Perishable food items have additionally been transported and/or stored in insulated containers. Exemplary insulated containers are described by U.S. Pat. No. 2,951,608 to Morrison; U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,311 to Sullivan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,258,656 to Peters; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,081 to Sjostedt et al. In general, these insulated containers function as coolers. That is, the insulated containers are generally intended to decrease thermal loss, and maintain the cargo at its desired temperature. Often, ice or dry ice can be incorporated in the insulated containers in order to maintain the temperature therein. The use of ice or dry ice during in connection with air transportation is increasingly becoming discouraged.
Numerous collapsible or knock-down cargo containers are available. Several of them are even insulated. Exemplary collapsible or knock-down cargo containers are described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,437 to Kupersmit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,278 to Boykin; U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,746 to Morgan, IV; U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,851 to Oestreich, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,236 to Kenevan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,776 to Morgan, IV; U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,663 to Dykhouse; U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,933 to Streich et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,981 to Wheeler; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,302 to Uitz.